


the ninth moon

by negativecosine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Genderqueer Character, Metamorphmagus, Other, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-24
Updated: 2014-02-24
Packaged: 2018-01-13 15:02:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1230853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/negativecosine/pseuds/negativecosine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Parenthood is rough on Tonks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the ninth

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for Tonks and Teddy getting misgendered a lot. They're both nonbinary-- Tonks is genderqueer, and Teddy's probably genderfluid, though Teddy is an infant or, uh, not born, for most of this, so.

The first thing the Mediwitch says to Tonks, as they're laying sweaty and groggy on the bed, covered in their own blood and fluids, is " _It's a boy!_ " 

Tonks is too tired to have this conversation. The witch hands the baby over, and says, "He's healthy, what a handsome little thing. Got his father's nose, hasn't he?" They look over at Remus, who is looking equal parts staggeringly uncomfortable and overwhelmingly giddy. Tonks holds their child, and says, "I'd like to use my da's name, if that's alright with you." 

"Ted?" Remus says, though he really looks too dazed to fully grasp on any hints Tonks is trying to send his way. "Very... stern name, don't you think. What about Teddy?" 

"Teddy." Tonks pets Teddy's slimy bald head, and feels right. "Yeah, that's good." 

The Mediwitch has to take Teddy away for a few minutes, for tests and such. Tonks grabs Remus by the wrist and tugs him down to lie together on the cot. He kisses their forehead, and sweaty cheek, and is clearly trying to restrain himself from doing really stupid embarrassing giddy things. 

Another Mediwitch comes back a quarter of an hour later, and Teddy's cleaned up and bundled in a clean white blanket. "What a beautiful baby girl!" she sings, and Remus swings up off the cot, cheeks flushed and eyebrows raised. Tonks tries to catch his eye. 

"Now, I see here you wanted to name her after your father," the witch continues, fluttering a hand over at the parchment at the foot of Tonks' bed. It flies up to float before her, so she can hold Teddy with both hands. "What about Theodora? Lovely name, and I'm sure Andromeda would like that," she adds, winking ostentatiously at Tonks. "I went to school with your mother, you know, I can only imagine how pleased she'd be if you kept up that name." 

"Teddy," Tonks says firmly, and holds their arms out for the bundle. Teddy's shockingly quiet, and looks very small, all wrapped up like this. "Write that down. Teddy Tonks Lupin, and not a letter more." 

The witch gives her an odd look as she hands Teddy over. "Of course, dearie," she says finally.


	2. eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, no smut in this chapter, but discussion of sex and genitals.

Remus comes back from a meeting. Tonks can't believe the Order still has time and safe places left to have meetings. "Your, uh-" he says, when he sees Tonks laying shirtless in bed, eating ice cream straight from the tub. It's mint chip, and it has melted into a sort of soup, which is the exact color of Tonks' hair. Tonks feels sexier than they have in a few months, honestly, but isn't going to tell Remus that. He's been increasingly fussy as their belly's gotten bigger, and he won't go much beyond a bit of necking lately. 

"Breasts?" Tonks supplies. "Tits. Knockers. Bosoms. Sirius called them fun-bags once." (Tonks is one of the few people allowed to say Sirius' name in front of Remus these days. On account of cousinhood, and also on account of Tonks knows how to talk about Sirius without making Remus fall the fuck apart.) 

"Yes," Remus says weakly, untangling himself from his coat and visibly trying not to gape. "Where'd they go?" 

Tonks shrugs. "Don't need 'em right now, do I? Still ache, though," they add. Tonks thinks they've been a remarkably good sport about all this, considering. But they're a little tired of feeling stuffed to bursting at all times, and achey fun-bags were one of the few things that it was pretty safe to change. 

Remus' mouth thins a little, and his forehead does the wrinkly concerned-dad look that Tonks _really_ shouldn't find so attractive on him, but he doesn't say anything. He kicks his shoes off, and slumps in bed next to them. He's still so tense, Tonks can feel it- from the meeting. Meetings are usually an exersize in body-counting and horrible flashbacks, lately. Tonks is glad for a good excuse not to go watch Molly Weasley pace and talk about how her children could die. 

"What about," Remus says, after a very long silence. He glances down at Tonks' lap, really obviously. 

"I told you I wouldn't change that, didn't I?" they snap, dropping the spoon into the last gooey remains of the ice cream. "I know it's not safe, alright, I told you I wouldn't, I just feel so-" They flap their hands, not entirely able to describe what they feel _so_. 

"Trapped?" Remus asks, finally. Tonks lets out a breath. 

"Yes," they admit. "I haven't stayed the same this long since... ever, really. Not even when I was a kid." 

Remus kisses their neck. Tonks sets the ice cream aside, and leans in a little. "I know about trapped," he says, and Tonks turns to bite his nose. He huffs. "I know! It's not the same," he adds quickly. "Merlin knows, it's not the same at all. But I know wanting your body to do one thing, and it does another thing. It's not the same, and I'm- I'm really glad about that. Yours is... temporary. After this, we can go back to, you know." 

Tonks bites him again, a mean little nip on the neck that makes him squeak. Biting Remus is a shockingly effective mode of communication, and Tonks tries not to think about his relationship with their cousin, because, dog stuff. Eurgh. But biting is a good way of expressing _Hey it's ridiculous that you still can't talk about this openly when we're alone together and you're clearly still really attracted to me and please have fewer hang-ups about sex, old man._ What they say aloud instead is, "You miss my dick." 

"Desperately," Remus confesses, a whisper-laugh puffing hot air onto Tonks' cheek. "But that's not it. I want to see you happy." 

"I've had an idea," Tonks says quickly, before they can talk themself out of it. It's been aching on their mind all day, and if they let Remus keep on in this train he'll get all maudlin and useless. "It'd still be safe. I could just sort of grow-"

"No," Remus says, and Tonks pulls away to glare at him. He's got that soft look on his face, and he rests his hand on their belly. "Not- not yet. You're so close, and it's just-" 

Tonks twists away, out from under his big, warm, soft, beautiful hand, away from the lines around his big, warm, soft, beautiful eyes. They hate him, for half a second, with every ounce of energy they've got left: the feeling bursts through them like a bubble, then pops, and it's gone. Tonks picks up the ice cream, and tries to curl their whole body around it. "Fine," they say, not looking back at Remus. "But you're going to go down on me for a _week straight_ after it's finished." 

"That's fine," Remus says, with a soft, warm chuckle. He tries to put his hand on Tonks' belly again, but they twist away a little further. He withdraws without complaint.


End file.
